Packaged information systems

Abstract

An embodiment of this invention relates to an intelligent lighting device that can receive signals and change the illumination conditions as a result of the received signals. The lighting device can change hue, saturation, and brightness as a response to received signals. One example of using such a lighting device is to display particular colors as a response to certain events. Among others, embodiments may include vehicle lighting systems, an information cube, a back lighting system for a display panel, and an indicator of a condition of a package.

1. A method of providing a light-based indicator system for indicating a condition of an item, comprising:
 providing an illumination system for providing illumination suitable for conveying information and capable of receiving input from an information system, the illumination system comprising (i) a first LED adapted to produce first light having a first spectrum, and (ii) a second LED adapted to produce second light having a second spectrum, the first spectrum being different than the second spectrum, and the first LED and second LED being arranged to permit combining of the first light and the second light; and  
 providing an information system for providing input to the illumination system;  
 wherein the information system provides information about the item and the illumination system is controlled to provide at least three different colors of illumination that indicate the information, wherein the information system stores first information for controlling illumination prior to an item being displayed for retail purposes and second information for controlling illumination when the item is being displayed for retail purposes.  
 
     
     
       2. A method of  claim 1 , wherein the first information controls illumination to indicate shipping information of an item and the second information controls illumination to provide an aesthetic feature for the item. 
     
     
       3. A package indicator comprising:
 at least one LED comprising multiple semiconductor dies capable of emitting at least first light having a first spectrum and second light having a second spectrum, the first spectrum being different than the second spectrum, the first light and the second light being independently controllable such that at least three different colors may be generated by the at least one LED;  
 a controller for generating and communicating control signals to the at least one LED wherein the controller is associated with a program input for receiving signals indicative of a condition of a package; and  
 at least one of a sensor, transducer, timer, receiver, signal generator, wherein the at least one of a sensor, transducer, timer, receiver, signal generator communicates the signals to the program input, wherein the at least three different colors generated by the at least one LED relate to the condition of the package.  
 
     
     
       4. A system for indicating a condition of an item, comprising:
 an illumination system for providing illumination suitable for conveying information and capable of receiving input from an information system, the illumination system comprising (i) a first LED adapted to produce first light having a first spectrum, and (ii) a second LED adapted to produce second light having a second spectrum, the first spectrum being different than the second spectrum, and the first LED and second LED being arranged to permit combining of the first light and the second light; and  
 the information system for providing input to the illumination system;  
 wherein the information system provides information about the item and the illumination system is controlled to provide at least three different colors of illumination that indicate the information.  
 
     
     
       5. A system of  claim 4 , wherein the item is a package and the illumination system indicates information about the condition of the package. 
     
     
       6. A system of  claim 4 , wherein the item is a container and the illumination indicates information about the container. 
     
     
       7. A system of  claim 6 , wherein the item is a container for an item selected from the group consisting of a body part, an organ, a tissue, blood, plasma, a liquid, an organic liquid, clothing, a food, apparel, a battery-operated item, a computer, a phone, a beverage, a beer, a soft drink, a wine, an alcoholic beverage, a perishable item, a fruit, a vegetable, a meat, a dry good, a cereal, a grain, a tobacco, an animal, and a plant. 
     
     
       8. A system of  claim 4 , wherein the condition is selected from the group consisting of age, elapsed time, exposure to temperatures, exposure to radiation, exposure to a microbe, exposure to a bacterium, exposure to a virus, exposure to heat, exposure to cold, exposure to moisture, exposure to pressure, exposure to acceleration, exposure to forces, exposure to vibration, exposure to light, exposure to shock, exposure to electricity, exposure to sound, exposure to humidity, and exposure to magnetism. 
     
     
       9. A system of  claim 8 , wherein the illumination system controls lighting elements by pulse width modulation. 
     
     
       10. A system of  claim 4 , wherein the illumination system indicates exposure of a package for a perishable item to an environmental condition. 
     
     
       11. A system of  claim 10 , wherein the environmental condition is heat. 
     
     
       12. A system of  claim 11 , wherein the environmental condition is passage of an amount of time in excess of a selected amount of time. 
     
     
       13. A system of  claim 4 , wherein the illumination system gradually changes to a selected color with the passage of time. 
     
     
       14. A system of  claim 13 , wherein the illumination system changes to red with passage of time. 
     
     
       15. A system of  claim 4 , wherein the illumination system changes illumination to indicate exposure to temperatures that exceed a predetermined acceptable range. 
     
     
       16. A system of  claim 4 , wherein the information system tracks a plurality of environmental conditions and the illumination system illuminates the item to reflect the different environmental conditions. 
     
     
       17. A system of  claim 4 , further comprising a sensor for receiving signals to supply the information system with information. 
     
     
       18. A system of  claim 4 , further comprising providing a transmitter for transmitting information from the information, system about the item. 
     
     
       19. A system of  claim 4 , wherein the information system obtains information about shipping events and wherein the illumination system indicates information about shipping events. 
     
     
       20. A system of  claim 4 , wherein the illumination system provides illumination for reflecting information useful for maintaining inventory in a facility. 
     
     
       21. A system for indicating a condition of an item, comprising:
 an illumination system for providing illumination suitable for conveying information and capable of receiving input from an information system, the illumination system comprising (i) a first LED adapted to produce first light having a first spectrum, and (ii) a second LED adapted to produce second light having a second spectrum, the first spectrum being different than the second spectrum, and the first LED and second LED being arranged to permit combining of the first light and the second light; and  
 the information system for providing input to the illumination system;  
 wherein the information system provides information about the item and the illumination system is controlled to provide at least three different colors of illumination that indicate the information, wherein the information system stores first information for controlling illumination prior to an item being displayed for retail purposes and second information for controlling illumination when the item is being displayed for retail purposes.  
 
     
     
       22. A system of  claim 21 , wherein the first information controls illumination to indicate shipping information of an item and the second information controls illumination to provide an aesthetic feature for the item. 
     
     
       23. A method of providing an indicator for a package, comprising:
 providing a first LED adapted to produce first light having a first spectrum;  
 providing a second LED adapted to produce second light having a second spectrum, the first spectrum being different than the second spectrum;  
 generating and communicating control signals to the first LED and second LED in response to at least one input signal indicative of at least one environmental condition associated with the package; and  
 controlling the first LED and the second LED, in response to the at least one input signal, to produce at least three different perceivable colors of light based on the at least one environmental condition.  
 
     
     
       24. A method of providing a package indicator comprising:
 providing at least one LED comprising multiple semiconductor dies capable of emitting at least first light having a first spectrum and second light having a second spectrum, the first spectrum being different than the second spectrum;  
 communicating control signals to the at least one LED indicative of at least one environmental condition associated with a package; and  
 controlling the at least one LED in response to the control signals to produce at least three different perceivable colors of light.  
 
     
     
       25. A method of providing a light-based indicator system for indicating a condition of an item, comprising:
 providing an illumination system for providing illumination suitable for conveying information and capable of receiving input from an information system, the illumination system comprising (i) a first LED adapted to produce first light having a first spectrum, and (ii) a second LED adapted to produce second light having a second spectrum, the first spectrum being different than the second spectrum, and the first LED and second LED being arranged to permit combining of the first light and the second light; and  
 providing an information system for providing input to the illumination system;  
 wherein the information system provides information about the item and the illumination system is controlled to provide at least three perceivable different colors of illumination that indicate the information.  
 
     
     
       26. A method of  claim 25 , wherein the item is a package and the illumination system indicates information about the condition of the package. 
     
     
       27. A method of  claim 25 , wherein the item is a container and the illumination indicates information about the container. 
     
     
       28. A method of  claim 27 , wherein the item is a container for an item selected from the group consisting of a body part, an organ, a tissue, blood, plasma, a liquid, an organic liquid, clothing, a food, apparel, a battery-operated item, a computer, a phone, a beverage, a beer, a soft drink, a wine, an alcoholic beverage, a perishable item, a fruit, a vegetable, a meat, a dry good, a cereal, a grain, a tobacco, an animal, and a plant. 
     
     
       29. A method of  claim 25 , wherein the condition is selected from the group consisting of age, elapsed time, exposure to temperatures, exposure to radiation, exposure to a microbe, exposure to a bacterium, exposure to a virus, exposure to heat, exposure to cold, exposure to moisture, exposure to pressure, exposure to acceleration, exposure to forces, exposure to vibration, exposure to light, exposure to shock, exposure to electricity, exposure to sound, exposure to humidity, and exposure to magnetism. 
     
     
       30. A method of  claim 29 , wherein the illumination system controls lighting elements by pulse width modulation. 
     
     
       31. A method of  claim 25 , wherein the illumination system indicates exposure of a package for a perishable item to an environmental condition. 
     
     
       32. A method of  claim 31 , wherein the environmental condition is heat. 
     
     
       33. A method of  claim 31 , wherein the environmental condition is passage of an amount of time in excess of a selected amount of time. 
     
     
       34. A method of  claim 25 , wherein the illumination system gradually changes to a selected color with the passage of time. 
     
     
       35. A method of  claim 34 , wherein the illumination system changes to red with passage of time. 
     
     
       36. A method of  claim 25 , wherein the illumination system changes illumination to indicate exposure to temperatures that exceed a predetermined acceptable range. 
     
     
       37. A method of  claim 25 , wherein the information system tracks a plurality of environmental conditions and the illumination system illuminates the item to reflect the different environmental conditions. 
     
     
       38. A method of  claim 25 , further comprising providing a sensor for receiving signals to supply the information system with information. 
     
     
       39. A method of  claim 25 , further comprising providing a transmitter for transmitting information from the information system about the item. 
     
     
       40. A method of  claim 25 , wherein the information system obtains information about shipping events and wherein the illumination system indicates information about shipping events. 
     
     
       41. A method of  claim 25 , wherein the illumination system provides illumination for reflecting information useful for maintaining inventory in a facility. 
     
     
       42. A package indicator comprising:
 a first LED adapted to produce first light having a first spectrum;  
 a second LED adapted to produce second light having a second spectrum, the first spectrum being different than the second spectrum, the first LED and second LED being arranged to permit combining of the first light and the second light; and  
 a controller for generating and communicating control signals to the first LED and the second LED,  
 wherein the controller is configured to respond to at least one input signal indicative of at least one environmental condition associated with a package, the controller further being configured to control the first LED and the second LED such that the indicator is capable of producing at least three different perceivable colors of light based on the at least one environmental condition associated with the package.